Gary Cooper

Academy Award-winning actor, Gary Cooper was born Frank James Cooper on May 7, 1901, in Helena, Montana. Cooper spent most of his childhood growing up with his mother in Dunstable, England; where he attended the prestigious Dunstable School. At thirteen years old, Cooper was injured in an auto accident, and sent to his father's cattle ranch in Montana to recuperate.

In his early twenties, Cooper moved to Los Angeles to work in marketing as an ad designer. This aspiration didn’t quite pan out, and after working as a Yellowstone Park guide for several seasons, Cooper found a niche in the film industry. One year later, he starred in a short film that got him noticed by Paramount, and led to a long-term contract with the studio. In 1925, Cooper changed his first name to Gary on the advice of his agent, who felt it evoked the industrialized, "tough" nature of Gary, Indiana.

As a Hollywood actor, Cooper went on to perform in over 100 films. His breakthrough role came in his first sound picture, The Virginian, in 1929. In 1941, Cooper was recognized with his first Academy Award for Best Actor, for his work in Sergeant York. A little over a decade later, he received his second Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of Marshal Will Kane in High Noon.

Cooper was involved in various affairs with other high-profile celebrities of the time, such as Clara Bow and Marlene Dietrich. He eventually settled down with New York socialite Veronica Balfe, with whom he had one child, Maria. Cooper became involved in extra-marital affairs with such actresses as Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, and Patricia Neal.

In addition to acting, Cooper had several other interests, including fishing, hunting, swimming, and taxidermy. He also enjoyed boxing, scuba diving, and breeding dogs.

In 1961, Cooper died of prostate cancer at the age of sixty. He was laid to rest at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Southampton, New York. As he was too ill to attend the 1961 Academy Awards, his good friend and fellow actor, James Stewart accepted the honorary Oscar on his behalf. In his acceptance speech, Stewart indicated that Cooper was battling cancer, and well-wishes poured in to Cooper from Pope John XXIII, Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, Pablo Picasso, Queen Elizabeth II, Ernest Hemingway, and several actors and actresses.

Cooper has been recognized for his contributions to the film industry with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well as a posthumous induction into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

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